Ligaments are strong fibrous soft tissue connecting the articular ends of bones to bind them together and to facilitate or limit motion. Injuries to ligaments are common, and patients who are physically active are generally more susceptible to such ligament injuries. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) of the knee joint is a ligament frequently injured by such patients. ACL injuries cause instability in the knee joint which, when left untreated, may lead to degenerative arthritis. Because of this condition, ACL reconstruction may be required. Generally during ACL reconstruction, a substitute soft tissue ligament or graft is attached to the femur (femoral fixation) and/or to the tibia (tibial fixation) to facilitate regrowth and permanent attachment.
There are several known methods for performing ACL reconstruction, and there are also several tibial or femoral fixation devices that may be used with these methods, some of which are reviewed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,482,232. Nevertheless, new methods and devices that reduce soft tissue damage, are easy to install, prevent slippage of the graft, promote healing and increase strength are still needed.